Textile-machine.



E. F. HATHAWAY & C. LEA.

TEXTILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1910.

Patented May 22, 1917.

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TEXTILE MACHSNE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1910.

Patented May 22, 1917.

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TEXTILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY l2, 19H)- 1,2153? Patented May 22, 1917.

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TEXTILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1910.

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TEXTILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1910- 1327,,53? Patented May 22, 1917;

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TEXTILE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I2, 1910. 1 17,531, Patented May 22, 1917.

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EDGAR F. I-IATHAWAY AND CHARLES LEA, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS 'lO AMERICAN WARP DRAWING MACHINE CQMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

TEXTILE-MACHINE.

Application filed May 12, 1910.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, EDGAR F. HATHA- WAY and CrIARLns LEA, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, whose post-office addresses are 289 A street, Boston, Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Textile-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is av specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to textile machines being more particularly though not exclu sively concerned with machines for selecting and presenting detached thread-engaging loom elements such as the detached heddles of a metal harness, drop wires or drop heddles, or other like devices for any desired operation, such, for example, as a threading operation. While various features of our invention have broad application to other purposes than the drawing-in operation, to illustrate one concrete embodiment of the same. we have herein shown a drawing-in machine which will serve to illustrate the principles of the invention.

Our invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a drawing-in machine embodying one form of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail in sectional elevation, and on a larger scale, showing the drop wire tensioning device;

Fig. shows one end of the machine in Fig. l equipped with drop wires of slightly different form;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail in front elevation on a larger scale showing the machine equipped with still a different form of drop wire;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation on a larger scale of a part of the machine shown in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1917.

Serial No. 560.802.

Fig. 1, illustrating the relation of the drop wires to their supports;

Fig. 7 is an elevation partly in section showing the auxiliary head for the separat ing and feeding shafts;

Fig. 8 is a section in elevation taken on the line 8-8 in Fig. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on the same line looking in the opposite direction;

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation of the auxiliary head taken on the line 1010 in Fig. 7

Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view of the equalizing device taken on the line 1111 in Fig. 6;

Fig. 12 is a detail in side elevation of one of the end guide bar supports showing one type of drop wire in place;

F 13 is a similar view showing a different form of drop wire in place;

Fig. 1% is a similar view showing still a third form of drop wire;

Fig. 15 is a front elevation of the guide bar shown in Fig. 10;

Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 19 show different forms of drop wires;

Fig. 20 shows the relation of the releasing key to the release opening of the drop wire;

Fig. 21 is a side elevation of the drop wire positioning and turning worm showing also the releasing key in side elevation;

Fig. 22 shows in end elevation the turning worm when first engaging a drop wire;

Fig. 23 shows the same drop wire when turned;

Fig. 24L shows in side elevation the same drop wire while undergoing discharge; and

Fig. 25 a section in plan on the line 2525 in Fig. 23..

While the invention, in many of its aspects, is applicable to machines other than warp drawing machines, as well as to warp drawing machine of other types and constructions than the specific one herein shown, we have herein illustrated our invention by embodiment in a well-known type of drawingin machine which is partially shown in the fragmentary illustration in Figs. .1. and 4.

The specific construction of the drawingin machine is not essential to the purposes of the present invention, the machine here shown being of the same general construction as the well known type of machine shown in Patents 755,861 to Field, 871,680 to Field at at, and 862,474 to Hathaway. It being obvious that the selecting and presenting mechanism herein described with suitable modification may be usefully employed with warp drawing and other machines of widely different construction, the details of the machine herein indicated, other than those directly connected with the drop wire separating mechanism, are not illustrated and will only be briefly referred to.

In the illustrated form of machine, as is well known to those skilled in the art, the heddles, reed, warp threads and drop wires, or other similar loom elements which may be employed are supported in a generally parallel arrangement lengthwise the machine upon suitable supports, which supports, except in the case of the drop wires, are not herein shown, but are carried by the main bed or frame 1 of the machine.

An appropriate needle 2 or other thread placing device, together with suitable needle reciprocating mechanism, is carried by the traveling carriage 3 and caused to traverse the extent of the reed, harnesses, warp, and drop wires and place successive warp threads through the desired heddle eyes and the selected reed dents and drop wires, these being appropriately positioned for that purpose in the needle path by suitable selecting and positioning mechanism.

Between each stroke of the needle, the reed is appropriately opened and positioned by a suitable opening device which may be, for example, similar to that shown in Patent 871,680. At the same time, a predetermined heddle from one of the several harnesses is selected and its eye presented to the passage of the needle by suitable selecting means which, for example, may be the selecting worms 4 (see Fig. 4) and their operating mechanism of the same general construction as those shown in Patent No. 755,861. Simultaneously, also, a warp thread or threads is selected from the warp and presented to the needle by thread-selecting devices which are not herein shown, but may be of any usual or suitable type.

In the operation of the described form of drawing-in machine, as the carriage travels the needle is projected first through the dents of a suitably supported reed, then through a heddle eye which has been previously positioned for that purpose and then through an appropriately presented drop wire, finally seizing the warp thread and drawing the same through the drop wire, heddle eye and reed dent on its movement of retraction. The devices for presenting the heddle eyes, drop wires and warp threads and for opening the reed dents are herein supported and carried upon the traversing carriage so that they move progressively with the warp drawing needle across the extent of the several sets of elements.

Referring now to the drop wires, or drop hcddles as they are sometimes termed, reference will first be made to the means for supshown two such groups and have shown a simple form of drop wire a installed in the machine, although as will more fully appear various other forms of drop wires may be employed.

The drop wire a is provided with an elongated opening 5 which, when the drop wire is placed in the loom, is adapted to receive one of the usual contact members of a stop motion attachment. In the drawing-in ma chine the lower part of the elongated opening is so presented to the needle as to have a thread drawn through the same.

In order to support or transfer the drop wires from one point to another in a serially grouped and preferably compacted relation, the drop wires are hung upon a suitable supporting rod 6 which, in the case of the drop wires a, also passes through the elongated opening 5, the thickness of the rod being preferably less than the width of the opening to leave a small clearance and facilitate free movement of the drop wires along the rod. Such rod is herein referred to as a supporting rod, although, as will more fully appear, the drop wires while in the machine and prior to the receipt of the thread may or may not be supported on said rod, or may be supported thereon in part only.

The drop wires having been strung each set upon the supporting rod 6, the latter is hung in position on the machine, there being provided for this purpose at opposite ends (see Figs. 1 and 14) upright supports 7 and 8 which are attached each to a fixed part of the machine and vertically adjustable thereon. The support 7 is provided with a vertically notched bracket 9 and the support 8 with a similar bracket 10 into the notches of which are slipped the ends of the supporting rod 6, the latter (Fig. 15) being bent down at 11 to cause the selected form of drop wires to hang at the desired height with reference to the selecting and drawingin mechanism.

Tn the illustrated form of machine the drop wires are held in a compacted or face to face relation and are released one by one from the series by means of a releasing key 12 (Fig. 21) the latter consisting of a head having a helical wing or flange 13 and carried by a releasing rod 1% which passes through a series of perforations in the drop wires, the latter being so arranged as to form a channel or passage for the reception of the releasing or actuating rod 14:.

In order that the perforations of adjacent drop wires may be thrown out of alinement when the drop wires are installed in the m, the drop wire a (see Fig. 18) has the rod-receiving perforations 15 located slightly above the series of the rod-receiving perforations 1G for the next adjacent drop wire a. When the rod 141- is inserted through the perforations of the bank of drop wires, as is done prior to their installation in the machine, the drop wires assume the staggered relation shown in Figs. 1-1 and 21, each alternate drop wire being depressed relatively to its neighbor by the difference in spacing of the rod-receiving perforations 15 and 16.

While the drop wires might be supported partly or wholly by the rod 6 prior to separation and discharge from the releasing key, in order to leave them free and unrestrained to receive the action of the releasing key, the bank of unseparated drop wires through which the releasing rod passes are herein supported by means other than the supporting rod 6. Such support may be at- :lorded wholly ly the releasing rod let, or, where the weight of the drop wires is considerable,for example where side warps are drawn requiring a large number of drop wires, an auxiliary support is preferably utilized to prevent the releasing rod from bending under the weight oi. the drop wires and thereby having its increment and action more or less impeded.

Such support may be provided in various ways, but herein there is provided an underlying supporting rod 1'? arranged in the machine at such a distance below the releasing rod 14 that the lower edge of each alternate drop wire touches or rests lightly upon the rod thereby relieving the releasing rod of the weight of half the drop wires in the group. Each rod 17 is supported at one end by a pin 18 (see Fig. 6) which is removably seated in the slot 19, the latter formed in the upright standard 20 which is secured to the traveling carriage 3. The opposite end of the auxiliary supporting rod is removably supported by a part of the traveling carriage 3, herein resting in a notched block 17* (Figs. 1, 7 and 9) which is fastened to me are a tie rod 21 connecting the standa d 20 and the auxiliary head 21. This permits the rod 17 to be applied to or removed from the machine at will.

ll hen the drop wires are installed in the machine, as previously described, by placing the supporting rod (3 in the brackets 9 and 10, they are then supported in part by the rod 17 and in part by the releasing rod 1- the rod (3 dropping down to the position shown in Fig. 1% approximately midway the elongated oi iening Vihen installed in the machine any suitable means may be employed to compact the drop wires, but for that purpose we have herein disclosed a packing carriage 22 (see 1 and 6) which is mounted to travel on rollers 23 along the track bar 2%, which latter also serves rigidly to connect the main carriage portion 3 with the carriage head 25 and the auxiliary head 21. In order to force or press the packing carriage against the end of the bank of drop wires, the latter is provided with suitable tensioning means, herein. in the form of a spiral spring (see Fig. located on the carriage head 25, which spring is so arranged as to exert a constant turning moment upon the winding; drum 27 causing the latter yieldably to wind in the steel strap or other flexible member 28. The latter has its end connected to the chain 29 which passes over the sheave 3O journaled on the carriage 3 and thence back to the packing carriage 22 to which its end is fixedly secured. The spring 26 tends constantly to wind in the strap 28 and thereby draw the packing carriage 22 toward the end of the drop wires, this serving to press the latter into a compact mass and against the head of the releasing key.

To engage and compact the drop wires, the carriage is provided. with a plurality of followers or packers 31, one held in alinement with each bank of drop wires and so arranged as to press against the same. Tn the event that the two rous of drop wires are of unequal length, these are so arranged as to equalize the pressure exerted thereagaiust, each follower 31 for that purpose icing carried upon a slide rod slidably mounted in the carriage J Each follower 31 (see 6 and 11) is also provided with a rearwardly extending sleeve 33 which is slidably mounted in the carriage each sleeve being provided with gear teeth meshing with an intermediate pinion 35, the latter journaled upon an upright axis within the carriage 22. Since one sleeve engages the pinion on one side and the other on the opposite side, an equalizing eii'ect is secured so that equal pressure is exerted against the drop wires irrespective of any difference in the extent of the two series. The releasing rods 14: pass through the sleeves 33 receiving therefrom an extended journalinp; support which secures a good alinement for the rods while the followers 31 and the carriage 22 are suitably recessed to avoid interference with the supporting rods 17.

As the drawing-in operation progresses, the advancement of the drop wire positioning and presenting mechanism (to be de scribed) toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 1) tends to force the series of compacted drop wires along the rod 6 and against the packer 31, the latter yielding as the carriage 22 moves back, but providing at all times upon the end of the drop wires a pressure sufficient to maintain them in compacted condition. The carriage 22 (see Figs. 6 and 9) is prolonged vertically to present a pair of upright slots 36 in which the siupporting rods 6 are placed when the drop wires are installed in the machine, there being fastened to the back of the carriage 22 a bracket 37 carrying the roller 38 upon which the rod 6 rests, so that the latter receives both support and guidance from the carriage 22 intermediate its ends, thereby adding to the rigidity of the structure.

Referring now to the releasing key, the wing or flange l3 terminates in an abrupt shoulder 39 which is in constant engagement with the foremost drop wire of the series. The perforations 15 and 16 being only slightly greater than the diameter of the rod, the shouldered head acts to hold back the entire series against the packer.

The perforation 15 is provided with an enlargement 40 and the perforation 16 with a similar enlargement 41, the enlargements for the alternate drop wires a being arranged, however, to extend downwardly while the enlargements 40 for the drop wires 0, extend upwardly. By means of this alternating formation, in respect to the perforations and their enlargements, the releasing head or shoulder 39 which is capable of passing through the enlargements 40 and 41 is adapted to release successive drop wires, one for each revolution. When the shaft 14 is turned to bring the shoulder 39 into alinement with the enlargement of the foremost drop wire, the latter is free to pass over the releasing head. When this point in the rotation of the shaft 14 is reached, the helical wing 13 instantly engages the drop wire and feeds it along the releasing key head 12 and discharges it therefrom.

Where two banks of drop wires are employed, each is provided with its releasing key and these preferably act coordinately to release a drop wire first from one bank and then from the other for presentation to the drawing-in needle at each threading movement thereof.

Any suitable presenting mechanism may be employed to engage the released drop wire and position and turn it to receive the is embodied in a rotary device adapted to seize and advance the released drop wire and a second rotary device adapted to turn and present the advanced drop wire to the thread. For this purpose there is provided for each bank of drop wires a conveying worm 42 secured to the worm shaft 43 and so located as to operate at the side of each rank of drop wires preferably just below the needle path and the releasing key. Each worm shaft is journaled at one end in the auxiliary head 21 and at the other end in the upright support 20".

As shown in Fig. 21, the releasing key and conveying worm are preferably arranged in slightly overlapping relation so that prior to discharge from the releasing key the lower end of the drop wire is engaged by the conveying worm 42. Immediately after engagement by the helical flange of the releasing key, such members of the drop wire series as touch or rest upon the auxiliary support 17 are fed off therefrom and, when discharged from the releasing key, are caused to drop down into the groove of the convoy ing worm as shown in Fig. 21, thereafter remaining suspended from the overhead support 6.

The conveying worm 42 is deeply grooved so that it readily receives the drop wire endwise and conveys it to a position where it can be turned for the passage of the drawing-in needle through the elongated opening 5.

Herein the turning and positioning of the drop wire after it has been advanced by the worm 42 is accomplished by the positioning and turning worm 44 which is also secured to the worm shaft 43 next adjacent the worm 42. As shown in Figs. 21 to 25, inclusive, the turning worm is provided with flanged faces 45 and 46 the inner or leading one of which has a radial slot or opening 47 to receive edgewise the advancing drop wire as indicated in Fig. 22. The radial. slot opens into a recess 48 which is deepened toward the face 46 and so shaped that as the drop wire enters the slot, it is gradually turned by the recess 48, which is appropriately shaped for that purpose, into the position represented in Fig. 23, where it is faced with the threading opening presented squarely to the drawing-in needle 2.

Since the turning worm works along the lower portion of the drop wire or that which is relatively remote from the portion through which the guiding and supporting rod 6 passes, there is ample elasticity to permit its being easily turned to a facing position. The two positioning and turning worms work on either side (see Figs. 4 and 8) of the upright standard 20 which is supported by the moving carriage, and such wall provides an abutment against which thread, but in the present instance, the sarneL. (as represented in Figs. 23 and 25) the drop wire is forced by the turning worm and between which and the worm it is rigidly held in a flatwise faced condition. To prevent edgewise movement of the drop wire when faced, the flanges and 46 of the worm (see Fig. 25) are caused, one to overlap the side of the wall 20, and the other to enter a groove therein, so that the drop wire a is held rigid between the abutting portion of the wall, the two flanges and the face of the turning worm.

After the retraction of the drawing-in needle, continued rotation of the turning worm presents to the face of the drop wire a worm portion L9 which is abruptly deepened and also beveled so that the drop wire is allowed to turn back to its normal or edgewise position as shown in Fig. 24, while continued rotation of the worm forces the threaded drop wire away therefrom by engagement with the wire of the end 50 of the beveled portion 49, the position of the discharged and threaded drop wire being shown in Fig. 24:.

In order to release and face a drop wire from each bank alternately for the action of the needle, the two worm shafts (which each face a drop wire once each revolution) are timed 180 apart and make each one full revolution for each two thread drawings, while the two releasing shafts (which release a drop wire for each semi-revolution) are timed 90 apart and make one full revolution for every four thread drawings. This provides for the presentation of a drop wire from one series for one thread and a drop wire from another series for the next succeeding thread.

To secure the desired timing of. the presenting mechanism, we have provided upon the auxiliary head 21 suitable driving mechanism for the worm and releasing shafts together with speed changing mechanism for changing the timing when a single bank of drop wires only is to be employed.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 10, the transmission mechanism on the auxiliary head is operated by means of a common actuating shaft 51 which extends to the main head 25, whereat it is turned at intervals suitably predetermined by a pattern mechanism designated at 52 (Fig. 1). The details of this pattern mechanism are not illustrated for it may be of the construction commonly employed upon this type of machine for controlling coerdinately the turning movement of the various shafts which operate the reed opener, harness-selecting devices and threadselecting devices as well as the drop wire selecting mechanism according to the pattern under which it is desired that the drawing-in shall take place.

At the auxiliary head 21 the actuating shaft 51 is provided with a driving pinion 53 which meshes with the gear 54L fastened upon a short connecting shaft 55 for one of the releasing rods 14:. The end of each releasing rod l-{l is removably connected in driven relation to its shaft 55 by means of a chuck 56 from which it can be readily withdrawn for purposes of removal from the machine. The companion shaft 55 for the remaining releasing rod is driven in an opposite direction, but at the same speed by means of intermeshing gears 57 of equal diameter. The gear 54 on the shaft 55 is also caused to mesh with the gear 58 on the end of one of the worm shafts 43, such gear being of half the diameter of the gear 54, so that the worm shaft is driven at twice the speed of the releasing shaft 14; The remaining worm shaft is driven in an opposite direction but at the same speed by means of intermeshing gears 59 of equal diameter.

Where a single bank of drop wires is employed and it is desired to present from the single bank an unthreaded drop wire to each threading operation, it is necessary to increase the speed of rotation of the releasing rods and worm shafts and, for this purpose, there is provided a speed changing mechanism on the auxiliary head. Herein this comprises a sliding sleeve 60 splined to the actuating shaft 51, but movable longitudinally thereon. The sleeve carries the gear 58 and also a gear 61 of greater diameter, the latter on longitudinal movement of the sleeve being adapted to engage the gear 62 which is also fastened on to the shaft 55 with the gear 5-1. The proportions of the gears are such that when the sleeve is moved from the position shown in Fig. 7 to a position effecting engagement between parts 61 and 62, the speed of the worm shafts and releasing rods is doubled. The sleeve is provided with a grooved finger piece 63 for seizing and moving the same, and a hub or extension 64 is also provided carrying a pair of positioning grooves adapted to engage with the spring-pressed pin 65 seated in the head, so that the gear carrying sleeve will be automatically positioned in either of its working positions.

The above-described machine is so constructed that the advantageous use of the selecting and presenting mechanism can be secured with drop wires of various other forms and constructions. In Figs. 16, 17 and 19 we have shown by way of illustration several other types of drop wires and in Figs. 3, 12 and 13 we have shown one method of adapting the supporting and operating elements of the machine to such drop wires.

To support the drop wires 5 and 1) shown in Fig. 16, vertically adjustable brackets 66 and 67 (Figs. 1, 3 and 12) are provided at the ends of the machine which carry the separate and horizontal supporting and guiding rod 68 on which latter are strung the drop wires 6 and b, the rod passing through the upper one 69 of the two el0ngated openings. As shown in Figs. 3 and 12 no auxiliary support is employed for the unthreaded drop wires, the entire weight resting upon the releasing rod 14. 1f desired, however, the height of the guiding rod 68 might be so adjusted that each alternate drop wire would be suspended thereon, or an underlying auxiliary support like the rod 17 might be utilized. l/Vhere no auxiliary support is employed, there is preferably utilized a device such as the roller 70 which underlies the foremost members of the series of unthreaded or compacted drop wires and is so adjusted with reference to the lower ends of the drop wires that as the foremost drop wire reaches a position where it is about to be released by the releasing key, it rides up on the roller by a slight amount, just enough to free it from any cramping or binding action with reference to the releasing rod and key. This tends to free the drop wire and render it more readily responsive to the action of the releasing key.

The roller 70 is carried upon a stud which may be seated inthe slot 19 for the shorter length of drop wire or in the parallel but lower slot 71 for drop wires of greater length, the position of the roller being obviously a matter of selection according to the character of the drop wires employed.

Where drop wires of the type shown at 0 and 0 in Fig. 17 are employed, these may be supported upon separate, horizontal rods 72, which rest' in the lower brackets 9 and 10 of the fixed supports 7 and 8. These drop wires are provided with special thread-receiving perforations 73 which are brought into line with the needle path when the drop wires are released from the releasing key and turned by the turning worm.

It will be seen that in each case the over head, suspension rods act to support the drop wires during their transference to and from the machine and while in the machine serve to guide and direct them. During and after the threading operation, but not prior thereto, they also serve to suspend and position them accurately in the needle path. While the overhead supporting rod might be employed to support or partly support the drop wires prior to the threading operation, herein such support is afforded by the releasing key in whole or in part, an auxiliary support, such as the underlying rod 17, being preferably employed where the weight and number of the drop wires is excessive and such auxiliary support may be employed with or without the auxiliary freeing device such as the roller 70.

It will be observed that the unseparated drop wires form a grouped series and that this series has a slight incremental movement along the releasing key and the auxiliary support 17 (if any be employed), as each successive drop wire is separated, but has its principal movement relatively to the stringer or guiding rod 6, as the entire series moves with the travel of the carriage 3. The support of the unseparated series of drop wires by a traveling member, whether such support is afforded wholly or partially by the releasing key instead of by a relatively fixed member such as the rod 6, along which the drop wires must be dragged as the carriage moves, greatly facilitates the ease with which the drop wires are manipulated. The fact, also, that the releasing key, acting as a. traveling support for all or a part of the unseparated drop wires, is also a rotatable support, tends to keep the un separated drop wires freed and more readily sensitive to the releasing operation. This reduction of the friction between the traveling group of unseparated drop wires and the guiding or supporting members of the machine is of material benefit since the drop wires through continued use in the loom are apt to become more or less impaired by abrasion or distortion, so that they fail to compact as they otherwise would, and tend to catch and interfere with the accuracy of the work of the releasing key and the conveying and turning worms.

The location of the conveying and turning worms near the lower end of the drop wire causes the action of the worm to take place where the drop wires are capable of the widest separation and below the loomsupport-bar slot therein, so that even when the drop wire is slightly turned there is no opportunity for the entering lip of the conveying worm to enter the slot of the drop wire and tear the latter.

It will be seen that, as the drawing-in operation proceeds, the series of unsepa- 'atcd drop wires diminishes through the se lection of successive members of the series, and the force required to keep them compacted and properly pressed against the head of the releasing key diminishes in substantially like proportion. The springtensioned drum 27 is, therefore, preferably so arranged that it not only exerts the greatest tension when the flexible member 28 is unwound and the packing carriage at the right of the carriage 8 as shown in Fig. 1 in a position to accommodate the full number of unseparated drop wires, but is also so arranged that this tension decreases with the movement of the packer carriage to the left and the winding up of the drum so that it automatically adjusts itself to the decreased friction of the unseparated drop wires as the latter diminish in number. This secures a fixed relation of packing pressure to the number of drop wires, or in other words, a imiformity in pressure against the releasing key which promotes the accuracy of the work done by the latter.

It will be obvious that in respect to many features of the mechanism for handling and presenting the drop wires or drop heddles to the threading operation, it is immaterial whet-her such members are act ly drop heddles or drop wires or the hedcles of a metallic harness and that in many of its features the invention herein described is applicable equally well to the heddles of a metallic harness, the term heddle being used generically to denote drop wires as well.

It will also be obvious that we have herein described and shown the disclosed embodiment of our invention for illustrative purposes only, and that the latter is not limited to the details of construction or form or relative arrangement of parts, but that, on the contrary, extensive deviations may be made from those shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims.

1. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, threadreceiving loom elements, the combination with a fixed guiding member for a series of such elements of a support for said series movable relatively to said fixed member.

2. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with a holding de vice of a facing device for facing the inclividual elements and a drawing-in device acting between the holding device and the facing device.

8. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, tln-ead-receiving loom elements, the combination with a holding device of a conveying worm and a drawing-in needle and means for reciprocating the needle in a path located between the holding device and the worm.

4. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for bolding a series of such loom elements, and a releasing device, such releasing device acting as a support for the series.

In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for holding a series of such loom elements, a releasing device, such releasing device acting as a support for the series, and an additional auxiliary underlying support for the series.

(3. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with a rod passing through suitable perforations in the said elements of an auxiliary, underlying support for said elements, the latter being supported alternately on the rod and the auxiliary support.

7. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiring loom elements, the combination with a member on which the elements are strung of means in the machine for supporting the elements prior to separation while the same are held on said stringing member, and a thread-- placing device, said elements being supported on said stringing member subsequent to the threading operation.

8. In a machine for selecti tioning detached, thread-receiv ments, the combination with means for hold ing such elements, means for separating and releasing individual elements and fr ing means for freeing said elements for facilitating the separation.

9. In a machine for selecting and posi tioning detached, thread-receiving loom ele ments, the combination. with mzans for holding such elements, means for separating and releasing successive elements and a roller for slightly elevating each individual element as it advances to the separating and releasing means.

10. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with separating and releasing means for separating and releasing successive elements, and an underlying support for the unseparated series of elements, said support being vertically adjustable to accommodate elements of different lengths.

11. In a. machine for selecting and posi tioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for bolding such elements, of releasing and separating means for releasing successive elements of the series and freeing means for elevating the elements engaged by the separating and releasing means, said freeing means being vertically adjustable to aceonmlodate elements of different length.

12..In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, tln'ead-receivi11g loom elements, the combination with separating and positioning mechanism for the individual members of the series, a member on which the elements are strung, and plurality of vertically slotted brackets for removably holding said stringing member.

13. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with separating and positioning mechanism for the individual members of the series, a member on which the elements are strung, end supports for said members, and an interi'nediate support also for said stringing member.

ing loom ele- 14:. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, threail-receiving loom elements, the combination with a member on which the elements are strung in a serially grouped relation, a packing device engag ing the end of the series, end supports for said stringing member and a vertically adjustable, intermediate roller support on the packing means for the stringing member.

153. in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the con'ibination with means for separating and positioning successive members of a of such elements driving mechanism to: such separating and positioning means, and speed chan mechanism for said driving mechanism comprising a movable member for controlling the speed of transmission.

16. in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-rcceiving loom elements, the combination with means tor sup porting one or more series oLt such elements, a threading device, means for presenting to each threading operation a tln'eail-i'eceiring element from one series or the other, and change speed gearing for changing the operation of the presenting mechanism whereby successive thread-receiving elements may be presented from the same group when a single group only is eniployed or trom successive groups when a plurality o'lf groups is en'iployed.

17. in a. machine for selectin and posh tioniug detached, thread-receivin; loom elements, the combination with means "for holding a series 01"- such elements in grouped relation, and compactingmeans ror said series comprising a packing member and means pressing said packing member against the end of the series.

18. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for holding a series of such elements in grouped re lation, and compacting means for said so ics comprising a packing member and means pressing said packing member against the end of the series, said means comprising a spring tens-Zoning device and connections between the same and the packing devic 19. In a. machine for selecting and positioning detached, th" ad-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for bolding a series of such elements in a grouped relation, a paclrii'ig carriage engaging the end of the miss, a spring turned drum and connections between the drum and the carriage whereby the former draws the latter continually toward the end of the series.

20. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with separating mechanism of a hanger member on which said elen'ients are strung, and means for lievinn' said member at the weight of the i arated elements.

in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elen'ients the combination with a member on which the elements are strung, a second member engaging said elements, the unseparated members or. the series being supported on said engaging member and the separated members of the series being supported on said stringing member.

in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements he combination with a member on which the elements are strung, said elements comprising a set supported on said memberand a second set unsupported thereby.

in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, threadueceiving loom ele ments the combination with a series of such unseparated elements 01" a releasing key and key rod from which said series receives supa machine for selecting and pesi- 1g detached, threadreceiving loom elements, the combination with a guide bar on which a series of such elements are strung, of a movable carriage and means on said movable carriage for supporting a series of such unseparated elements thereby to relieve said guide bar of their support.

in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, tliread-receiving loom elements, the combination with a series of such elements having loom supporting bar slots, of a facing member positioned to act upon said elements outside the limits of such slots.

26. in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with a holding device of a conveying device and a releasing device between the conveying device and the holding device, the supporting means for said elements being arranged to present the same in closer working proximity to the facing device after release than prior thereto.

27. 111 a machine for selecting and posi tioninp; detached, thread-receiving loom ele ments, the combination with a pair of relatively movable supports, one for the unseparated elements and the other for the separated elements of tie series.

28. in a machine for selecting and positioning detached, threadreceiving loom elements, means for supporting a series of such elements in compacted. relation and means for maintaining a uniform pressure upon the foremost members of the series.

29. lin a machine for selecting and positioning detached, thread-receiving loom elements, the combination with means for holding a series of such elements in compacted relation, means for separating successive members of the series, and means for maintaining a pressure on said series of compacted elements diminishing with the diminution in the number of the series.

30. In a machine for acting upon metallic heddles, the combination with a stringer bar on which the heddles are held in a compact series, selecting and positioning mechanism for acting upon the heddles of the series in succession, a support for the selecting and positioning mechanism, and means to cause relative movement between the support and the stringer bar, said support having provision for supporting the unseparated heddles and relieving the stringer bar of the weight thereof.

31. In a machine for acting upon metallic heddles, the combination with a stringer bar on which the heddles are held in a compact series, selecting and positioning mechanism including heddle releasing means, a driving shaft therefor, a rotary positioning device and a rotary heddle facing device, a support for the selecting and positioning mechanism, means to provide for relative movement between the support and the stringer bar, said support having provision for supporting the unseparated heddles and relieving the stringer bar of the weight thereof, the heddles after separation being deposited on the said stringer bar.

32. In a machine for threading metallic heddles, the combination of threading mechanism, a carriage therefor, a stringer bar on which the heddles are held in a compact series, selecting and positioning mechanism on said carriage for acting upon the heddles of the series in succession, and means for causing the traverse of said carriage lengthwise the stringer bar, said carriage having provision for supporting the unseparated heddles, but depositing the same after separation on the stringer bar.

33. In a machine for acting upon metallic heddles, the combination of a stringer bar on which the heddles are held in compact series, a releasing device and a driving member therefor, heddle positioning and facing mechanism, a support on which said releasing device and positioning and facing mechanism are carried, and means for causing relative movement between said stringer bar and said support, said driving member for said releasing device serving to sustain the weight of unseparated heddles and relieve the stringer bar of the weight thereof.

34. In a machine for selecting and positioning fiat, thin, metallic heddles, the combination with a stringer bar for holding a series of such heddles, a separating device Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents and a heddle facing device acting upon the extreme lower end of the heddle.

35. In a machine for selecting and positioning thin, metallic heddles, the combina tion of a stringer bar for holding a series of such heddles, heddle selecting means, provision for supporting unselected heddles above the position of heddles normally hanging on said stringer bar, said heddles being dropped upon said stringer bar after selection, and a heddle facer acting upon a heddle after the latter has been dropped upon the stringer bar.

36. In a machine for selecting and positioning thin, metallic heddles, the combination of a member on which the heddles are strung, means for holding the unseparated heddles above the normal position of heddles hung upon said member and for selecting the heddles one by one from said series and dropping them upon the stringer bar, and a heddle facer working below the position of the unseparated heddles and adapted to engage and face a heddle when so selected.

37 In a machine for selecting and positioning thin, metallic heddles, the combination with a stringer bar, and selecting and positioning mechanism comprising means to support the unseparated heddles in a relatively elevated position, means to select and drop a heddle from the unseparated series, and a facer acting upon the lower end of a heddle so dropped.

38. In a machine for selecting and positioning flat, metallic heddles, the combination with a stringer bar, heddle releasing means, rotary conveying and facing means for positioning and facing a released heddle and a driving shaft therefor extending beneath the series of unseparated heddles.

39. In a machine for selecting and positioning detached thread-receiving loom elements, the combination of a member on which the elements are strung in a serially grouped relation, selecting and positioning mechanism, a support therefor, means for causing a relative movement between said support and said member, and an intermediate support for said member carried on the support for said separating and positioning mechanism.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR F. HATHAWVAY. CHARLES LEA.

Witnesses ROBERT H. KAMMLER, E. EDNA SPRY.

Washington, I). G. 

